至次日，宝玉见收拾了外书房，约定了和秦钟念夜书。
Before long Baoyu's outer study was ready.He had agreed with Qin Zhong to start evening lessons together;
偏偏那秦钟秉赋最弱，因在郊外受了些风霜，又与智能儿几次偷期缱绻，未免失于检点，回来时便咳嗽伤风，饮食懒进，大有不胜之态，只在家中调养，不能上学。
but Qin Zhong had a weak constitution, and a cold he had caught in the country following his secret affair with Zhineng had upset him; thus on his return to town he developed a cough and lost his appetite completely.Too weak to go out, he had to rest at home.
那凤姐却已得了云光的回信，俱已妥协，老尼达知张家，那守备无奈何，忍气吞声受了前聘之物。
Xi-feng had now received Yun Guang's reply to the bogus letter, expressing his readiness to comply with her (or, as he supposed, Jia Lian's) request.Euergesia communicated this information to the Zhangs; and soon the captain, swallowing his anger and resentment as best he could, was obliged to receive back the betrothal gifts he had sent them on behalf of his son.
老尼达知张家，果然那守备忍气吞声的受了前聘之物。
So the inspector had to swallow his anger and take back the betrothal gifts.
谁知那张家父母如此畏势贪财，却养了一个知义多情的女儿，闻得父母退了前夫，他便一条麻绳悄悄的自缢了。
But though Zhang and his wife were snobbish and mercenary, they had a principled and feeling daughter.When Jinge learned that her engagement had been broken she found a rope and quietly hanged herself;
那守备之子闻得金哥自缢，他也是个极多情的，遂也投河而死，不负妻义。
The captain's son, too, turned out to be a young person of unexpectedly romantic notions, for on hearing that Jin-ge had hanged herself, he promptly threw himself into a river and was drowned.
可怜张、李二家没趣，真是“人财两空”。
Thus the Zhang and Li families were unlucky enough to lose both girl and money.
这里凤姐却坐享了三千两，王夫人等连一点消息也不知道。
Not an inkling of this affair reached the ears of Lady Wang.
自此凤姐胆识愈壮，以后有了这样的事，便恣意的作为起来，也不消多记。
This emboldened her from that time on to undertake countless similar transactions but we need not recount these here.
一日正是贾政的生辰，宁荣二处人丁，都齐集庆贺，热闹非常。
The day of Jia Zheng's birthday arrived and all the members of the Ning-guo and Rong-guo households were gathered together to celebrate it.Just as the festivities were at their height,
忽有门吏忙忙进来，至席前报说:"有六宫都太监夏老爷来降旨。”
the gateman suddenly rushed in to announce:“His Excellency Xia, Chief Eunuch of the Six Palaces, has come with a Decree from the Emperor!”
唬的贾赦、贾政等一干人不知是何消息，忙止了戏文，撤去酒席，摆了香案，启中门跪接。
This startled Jia She, Jia Zheng and the rest, who did not know what it could mean.They at once called a halt to the theatricals and had the feast cleared away.A table was set out with incense.Then, throwing open the central gate they knelt down to receive the Decree.
早见六宫都太监夏守忠乘马而至，前后左右又有许多内监跟从。
Soon Xia Bing-zhong, the Eunuch Master of the Bedchamber, arrived on horseback with a retinue of eunuchs at his back.
那夏守忠也并不曾负诏捧敕，至檐前下马，满面笑容，走至厅上，南 面而立，口内说："特旨：立刻宣贾政入朝，在临敬殿陛见。”
He appeared to have no Imperial Proclamation or other document on his person, for instead of dismounting, as etiquette prescribed that he should if he was carrying a Written Instrument, he rode straight on to the foot of the main hall.There, with beaming countenance, he got down from his horse, climbed the steps, faced south and gave utterance to the following announcement:'By order of His Imperial Majesty:Jia Zheng is commanded to present himself at court immediately for private audience with His Imperial Majesty in the Hall of Reverence.”
贾赦等不知是何兆头。
Jia She and the others could not guess what this portended.
只得急忙忙去更衣人朝。
Jia Zheng lost no time in putting on his court robes and going to the Palace,
贾母等合家人等心中皆惶惶不定，不住的使人飞马来往报信。
leaving Grandmother Jia and the rest in an extreme state of alarm which they endeavoured (unsuccessfully) to allay by dispatching a regular stream of mounted couriers post-haste to the Palace to inquire for news.
有两个时辰工夫，忽见赖大等三四个管家喘吁吁跑进 仪门报喜，又说"奉老爷命，速请老太太带领太太等进朝谢恩"等语。
but it was four hours before Lai Da and a few other stewards came panting through the inner gate, crying:“Good news!
His Lordship asks the old lady to go at once to the Palace with the other ladies to thank His Majesty.”
那时贾母正心神不定，在大堂廊下伫立，那邢夫 人、王夫人、尤氏、李纨、凤姐、迎春姊妹以及薛姨妈等皆在一处，听如此信至，贾母便唤进赖大来细问端的。
The Lady Dowager had been waiting anxiously in the corridor outside the great hail with Lady Xing, Lady Wang, Madam You, Li Wan, Xifeng and the Jia girls, as well as Aunt Xue.On hearing this, they called Lai Da over and demanded more details.
贾母又唤进赖大来细问端底，赖大道：“奴才们只在外朝房伺候着，里头的信息一概不知。
“We had to wait in the outer court,” Lai Da told them.“So we had no idea what was going on inside.
后来还是夏太监出来道喜，说咱们家大小姐晋封为凤藻宫尚书，加封贤德妃。
Eventually Mr. Xia came out and saw us waiting there.“Congratulations!” he said.“Your eldest young lady has been appointed Chief Secretary to the Empress and is to become an Imperial Concubine.”
后来老爷出来亦如此吩咐小的。
And then His Lordship came out and confirmed this.
如今老爷又往东宫去了，速请老太太领着太太们去谢恩。”
“I have to go off to the East Palace now,” he said, “to see the Prince.
贾母等听了方心神安定，不免又都洋洋喜气盈腮。
They were all so relieved that their faces shone with delight